The invention has to do with a belt buckle having a frame-shaped buckle body and a swiveling pin that can be pushed through one of usually several longitudinally centered holes in a belt and locked, with the pin biased by a spring against a first transverse spar of the buckle body.
Such belt buckles are known, and are customary, for example, in horseback riding, to attach the girth to the saddle straps of a saddle. Spring biasing of the pin makes it easy to xe2x80x9cre-belt,xe2x80x9d i.e. re-tension the girth to the saddle straps from the saddle, which is desirable usually after a brief warmed-up period. Spring loading of the pin means that, using only one hand, the pin can be put into one of the holes of the particular saddle strap. Usually the pin consists of a torsion spiral spring that surrounds the bearing axis of the pin, the angled ends of which spring adjoin one of the buckle""s two longitudinal spars on one side, and on the other side abut against the pin. This requires that the bearing axis be manufactured separately from the remaining buckle body and be inserted into it. In addition, there is a danger that the ends of the spring will slide off the longitudinal spar or the pin, and thus that the spring will lose its tension, becoming ineffective. Also, the ends of the spring, which project freely out into space, can cause injuries.
The principal objective of the present invention, therefore is to configure a belt buckle of the type described above so that it is easier to manufacture, more reliable, capable of functioning, and in addition safer with regard to avoiding injuries.
This objective, as well as other objectives which will become apparent from the discussion that follows, is achieved, in accordance with the present invention, by biasing the pin by means of a continuous elastomer band which extends around the pin from a second transverse spar of the buckle body at a small distance from the mounting point of the pin.
The elastomer band can easily be inserted into a buckle that in other respects is already complete, thus requiring no separately manufactured bearing axis for the pin. It cannot pop off accidentally. In the event that tension slackens due to aging or tearing, it can be replaced, even by an amateur. Lastly, it presents no threat of injury whatsoever.
For a full understanding of the present invention, reference should now be made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.